Battle of Kars (1745)

Ottoman-Persian War of 1743–1746
Part of the Ottoman–Persian Wars
A diagram of the battle of Kars, illustrating the devastating flanking manoeuvre by Nader's cavalry reserve
Date August 1745 Location Eastern Anatolia Result Decisive Persian Victory
Belligerents
Persian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Nader Shah	Mehmet Yegen Pasha† Abdollah Pasha Jebhechi
Strength
80,000	140,000 100,000 Sipahi Cavalry 40,000 Janissary Infantry
Casualties and losses
~8,000	28,000 12,000 killed 16,000 wounded/captured

The Battle of Kars was the last major engagement of the Perso-Ottoman war of 1743-1746 which resulted in the complete rout of the Ottoman army. The battle was also the last of the great military triumphs of Nader Shah as soon after his victory he was assassinated by a faction within his officer corps. In terms of strategic effect, however, the victory at Kars though impressive in its own right brought only diplomatic benefits helping to end hostilities rather than to further expand Nader's dominion in the west.

In any case the Persian empire was at this point plagued by ever more numerous rebellions against the Shah, making foreign expansion a distant prospect.

See also

• Nader Shah
• Ottoman Empire
• Afsharid dynasty
• Ottoman–Persian War (1743–46)